Hamburg, 3 December 2023 (dpa/MIA) - Title holders Italy face Spain and Croatia in what is arguably the toughest Euro 2024 group while the draw on Saturday was kinder to hosts Germany, who will open the month-long tournament against Scotland.

Germany face the Scots on June 14 in Munich and then play Hungary and Switzerland in their other Group A matches. Hungary were also in the German group at the last Euros in 2021, with the game ending 2-2.

"That is not a group of death but there is no really bad opponent. It is an interesting group from which of course we want to advance," Germany coach Julian Nagelsmann told Magenta TV.

Italy beat Spain in the 2021 semis en route to the title, after being crushed by them in the 2012 final, and there will also be a replay of the other semi from two years ago because England and Denmark also meet again in Group C.

Twice winners France and the Netherlands, who won their lone Euro title the last time it was played in Germany in 1988, were pitted against each other like in qualifying.

The draw on a snowy day was conducted in Hamburg's Elbphilharmonie concert hall and featured a classical concert before the draw procedure, which included former players such as Italian icon Gianluigi Buffon, Spain's David Silva, Dutchman Wesley Snijder and Sami Khedira of Germany.

It was somewhat disturbed by some noise during the draw procedure which briefly stopped but then resumed. It was not clear immediately what caused the incident.

Euro 2024 is played in 10 cities between June 14 and July 14. It is the second continental tournament in the country, the first being the 1988 edition in then West Germany, and it comes 18 years after Germany staged the 2006 World Cup.

Italy start their title defence on June 15 against Albania before meeting former World Cup runners-up Croatia and three-times champions Spain in Group B.

Three-times champion Germany have been struggling for form lately but will like their chances of advancing, but Scotland goalkeeper Craig Gordon hopes that his side - who beat Spain in the qualifying campaign - can spring a surprise right at the start.

"Being part of the opening ceremony is huge to be involved in. Germany have a history and experience of many, many tournament wins," he said.

"The pressure will be on them at home and maybe that's something we can use to our advantage."

Nagelsmann, who had to drive from Munich to Hamburg because Munich airport and railway station were closed owing to heavy snowfall, said: "That will be a tough one but a nice one because we expect an emotional match. They have great fans, it will be a nice start in Munich."

Big contenders England open against Serbia before facing the 1992 winners Denmark and Slovenia.

England manager Gareth Southgate admitted he was happy to have avoided the likes of Italy, the Dutch and Scotland but warned that "all of the teams that we play are more than capable.

"We're hugely excited to be part of the tournament, we know the expectation at home, we've developed a lot as a team in the last few years, we're getting used to these big games so we're ready for that expectation. We hope we can give our supporters some more brilliant nights," Southgate said.

Austria and a play-off winner from Poland, Wales, Finland and Estonia join World Cup runners-up France and the Dutch in Group D.

Belgium, Slovakia, Romania and a play-off winner from Bosnia-Herzegovina, Israel, Iceland and Ukraine form Group E.

Turkey, Cristiano Ronaldo's Portugal and the Czech Republic are in Group F along with a play-off winner from Georgia, Greece, Kazakhstan and Luxembourg.

The play-offs are scheduled for late March.

The two top finishers from each group and the four best third-placed finishers advance into the knock-outs starting with the round of 16. The final is on July 14, 2024, in Berlin.

Teams were drawn from four pots based on their qualifying results, with Germany as hosts, Portugal, France, Spain, Belgium, England in pot one while Italy were in pot four.

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